The MASCOT lander aboard Hayabusa2: The in-situ exploration of NEA (162173) Ryugu. (June 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ho, Tra-Mi; Jaumann, Ralf; Bibring, Jean-Pierre; Grott, Matthias; Glaßmeier, Karl-Heinz; Moussi, Aurelie; Krause, Christian; Auster, Ulrich; Baturkin, Volodymyr; Biele, Jens; Cordero, Federico; Cozzoni, Barbara; Dudal, Clement; Fantinati, Cinzia; Grimm, Christian; Grundmann, Jan-Thimo; Hamm, Maximilian; Herčik, David; Kayal, Kağan; Knollenberg, Jörg; Küchemann, Oliver; Ksenik, Eugen; Lange, Caroline; Lange, Michael; Lorda, Laurence; Maibaum, Michael; Mimasu, Yuya; Cenac-Morthe, Celine; Okada, Tatsuaki; Otto, Katharina; Pilorget, Cedric; Reill, Josef; Saiki, Takanao; Sasaki, Kaname; Schlotterer, Markus; Schmitz, Nicole; Schröder, Stefan; Termtanasombat, Nawarat; Toth, Nortbert; Tsuda, Yuichi; Ulamec, Stephan; Wolff, Friederike; Yoshimitsu, Tetsuo; Ziach, Christan;
• Is Part Of: Planetary and space science. Volume 200(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-06
• Subjects: Asteroid -- In-situ surface science -- Lander -- Operations -- Camera -- IR Spectrometer -- Magnetometer -- Radiometer; Space sciences -- Periodicals; Atmosphere, Upper -- Periodicals; Sciences spatiales -- Périodiques; Haute atmosphère -- Périodiques; 523
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pss.2021.105200
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0032-0633

Abstract

Abstract: After 3.5 years of cruise, and about 3 months in the vicinity of its target, the MASCOT lander was deployed successfully on October 3, 2018 by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft onto the C-type near-Earth asteroid (162173) Ryugu. After a free-fall of 5 ​min 51 ​s from an altitude of 41 ​m MASCOT experienced its first contact with the asteroid hitting a big boulder. The lander bounced for ~11 ​min 3 ​s before it came to rest. MASCOT was able to perform science measurements with its payload suite at 3 different locations on the surface of Ryugu. It investigated the fine-scale structure, multispectral reflectance, thermal characteristics and magnetic properties. The surface consists of very rugged terrain littered with large surface boulders. The in-situ measurements confirmed the absence of fine particles and dust as already implied by the remote sensing instruments aboard the Hayabusa2 spacecraft. After about 17 ​h of operations, the MASCOT mission terminated with the last communication contact as its primary batteries depleted. This paper summarizes the MASCOT mission covering its four years of in-flight operations, its preparation for the descent, landing and in-situ investigation on the asteroid Ryugu until the end of its operation. Graphical abstract: Image 1